Best Resident Poster Award: Evaluation of Anastomotic Techniques for Laparoscopic Resection of Isolated Small Intestine Pathology

Background: The purpose of this study was to compare perioperative outcomes for intracorporeal versus extracorporeal anastomotic techniques for isolated laparoscopic small-intestine resection.

Methods: A retrospective database was created for all adult patients who underwent a laparoscopic segmental small-intestine resection. Patients with inflammatory bowel disease or requiring an ileocolectomy were excluded.

Results: Laparoscopic resection was performed in 52 patients (ratio of men:women, 30:22) with a mean age of 47 ± 21 years. A laparoscopic intracorporeal anastomosis was performed in 30 patients (58%), and an extracorporeal anastomosis was performed in 22 patients (42%). There was no difference in mean operating room time, estimated blood loss, perioperative complication rate, or length of stay between the 2 groups. Ten patients had a complication, and 5 patients experienced a Clavien grade II or greater complication.

Conclusions: Laparoscopic segmental small-bowel resection using either intracorporeal or extracorporeal anastomotic techniques is equally efficacious for pathology isolated to the small bowel.